Last.fm going to charge for radio service

According to the recent announcement:

In order to keep providing the best radio service on the web, we need to ask our listeners from countries other than USA, UK and Germany to subscribe for €3.00 per month.

 and this will be in effect from March 30, 2009. Just how many things are wrong here? Unfairness, bad marketing, no understanding about 'one web, no borders' and um, Economics, just to say a few. Stinks worse than rotten fish, really. The comments section is already full of users expressing incomprehension, shocked disgust and 'good-bye last.fm' messages, and as much as I love the idea of social music revolution (which has been wiped from the logo since last July's update) and the original incarnation, I can't say the same of the new, arrogant Last.fm of the past 9 months and the self-destructing direction it is pig-headedly going, and I don't even want to contribute any more data and am now seriously searching for an alternative radio. And if any site starts to offer scrobbling, I'll desert this rotting ship for sure.

Do you use last.fm, and how do you feel about this? Sound off in the comments! (Or go say something at the blog link above.)

Salyu New Single, 'Halfway', Due February

Scanty info yet, but I definitely prefer this wintery cover to the recent weirder-than-usual thing that is the Merkmal covers. And this is what's on her official site :

Release date:　2009.2.11
Ｔｒａｃｋｓ：
01. コルテオ 〜行列〜　「シルク・ドゥ・ソレイユ」第8弾公演“ダイハツ コルテオ”イメージソング
02. HALFWAY　2009年2月公開予定 映画「ハルフウェイ」主題歌

UPDATED: Due to languishing Japanese study plans, I can't really tell you what's going on in the first link except it has something to do with Cirque du Soleil, which is cool (alert: loud background music), but the second one leads to the promotion site of 'Halfway', the movie which Salyu's namesake track is the theme song for. The 'theme song' tab is still tagged 'coming soon', but the refrain portion of the song can be heard as the background music. This is another of her higher-pitched poppish ones--nothing against that--just that my personal wish of a (however fleeting) return to Lily Chou Chou era ethereal awesomeness is left unanswered again. #heaves a wistful sigh#

(P.S. For more Salyu news and stuff please visit http://salyu.aiamu.net/. Still under construction but better than none, and I'm definitely not turning Uku into a second Salyu news blog.. =p)

Can't wait for Feb! :)

Salyu's New Album, Merkmal, Due in November

According to the official website and translation from Salyu community on livejournal:

Salyu will be releasing a best album titled "Merkmal" on November 26th. There'll be two limited edition versions: one featuring a live DVD recording of her concert at Motion Blue Yokohama on September 17th, and the other featuring a second CD with her collab work (Valon, to U, & Mirror). The limited editions also come with a ticket reserve for her 2009 Merkmal tour.

CD Only: 3,000yen (TFCC-86281)
w/ Live DVD: 3,800yen (TFCC-86282)
2CD: 3,800yen (TFCC-86283)

Setlist of Motion Blue Yokohama show:
01. ARABESQUE
02. 光りの束 (hikari no taba)
03. name
04. 双曲線 (soukyokusen)
05. 体温 (taion)
06. 夜の海 遠い出会いに (yoru no umi tooi deai ni)
07. Landmark
08. be there
09. 砂 (suna)
10. VALON-1
11. to U
12. WHEREABOUTS ~for Anthony~

 It is a little odd that she's already releasing a 'Best of' after a mere two albums (or 3, if we count Lily Chou-Chou.) This is probably more appropriately called 'The B-sides'... And what's up with the sudden fascination with foreign--and GERMAN, not in the least--words? Merkmal is simply German for 'feature'. *scratches head*

Still very excited about this though, this being the first official live recording of anything from her...? and I totally look forward to some brand new material, too. It's been some time since the last album now, Missy Salyu! ;)

Mika

Thanks for G's recommendation. Quoting her
'he's a little like the lively side of Rufus...you think?'

That pretty much nails it.

Mika

Lollipop


Grace Kelly

Do As Infinity is BAAAAACK!!!!

I WANNA SCREAM MY LUNGS OUT! DAI IS BACK!!!!!
YES THEY HAVE REFORMED!!
There'll be a free live performance on Sep 30.

DAI fans, check out this forum thread for more details
http://www.daiforum.com/index.php?showtopic=16473

Watching their comeback performance nearly sent me crying for joy. It's just, bloody fun! I've never seen a happier Ban-chan!


DAI Reformed (It's been 4 years guys!!)


NOW! Shall we get up and dance?!

Shane Mack - Lie to me

Shane wrote a couple of brilliant songs for the gay themed movie 'Shelter', a picturesque, heart-warming romantic flick. The movie features a strong performing soundtrack and through this form of collaboration, the amount of exposure an otherwise obscure artist gets to a new audience is undeniably effective.

Shane Mack's a country/folk artist from Nashville. Pop in his myspace page to listen to more tracks. Frankly there's little I know about him...'Lie to me' can touch a few heartstrings.Hear the tender anguish rippling through his voice, it's very emotional.

Lie to me (Download here)

Aoi Teshima - Niji no Kashuu

The angelic Teshima's back with a new album 'Niji no Kashuu'(Songs of Rainbow), another line-up along her therapeutic soothing style.I'm yet to go through the whole album. The first couple of tracks have lovely folksy elements and you can tell she's adding new vocal techniques which break the mundane flow of story telling (I do love it! But obviously a little change is a nice surprise.)

Title track 'Niji' (Rainbow)




Download here (77mb,expires 7days or 100 downloads)

Niji no Kashuu (Songs of Rainbow)
Release: 2008.7.23
Normal Edition | First Press Edition (CD+DVD)

Romaji and suggested translation in bracket. Click here for more info.
01. 虹(Niji, Rainbow)
02. 恋唄 (Koi uta, Love song)
03. 空へ(Sora e, To the sky)
04. 恋するしっぽ。(Koisuru shippo, Tail of love)
05. CHINESE SOUP
06. 元気を出して(Genki o dashite, Cheer up)
07. 奇跡の星(Album Version) (Kiseki no Hoshi, Star of wonder)
08. 家族の風景 (Kazoku no fuukei, Family scenery)